The Jury

Founder and Creative Director, Altherr Désile Park

German born Jeannette Altherr is founder and creative director of Altherr Désile Park, the evolution of the long-standing Barcelona-based studio Lievore Altherr. The studio specializes in product design & development, strategic consulting, creative direction, art direction, and ephemeral architecture for internationally recognized design companies such as Arper, Andreu World, Vibia, Noorth, among others.
Their approach develops projects often based on a creative concept integrating product design and its communication. This holistic approach, humanist character, and the search for the essential in their projects – combined with a sensibility that transmits harmony and balance – characterize the work of Altherr Désile Park.

Manuel Bickel studied environmental engineering (Dipl.-Ing.), worked for the engineering and consulting firm Fichtner from 2011-2018 and received his doctorate from Leuphana University Lüneburg in 2020 on the topic of "Viable Communication Systems" in the context of the energy transition. He has been researching the design of sustainable product-service systems at the Wuppertal Institute since 2018, focusing on sustainability assessment, resource efficiency, ecodesign, circular systems, digitalisation and industry.

Associate Professor in Industrial Design, University of Aveiro | Executive Board Member, Cumulus Association

Teresa Franqueira is a designer, has a PhD degree at Politecnico di Milano and was the International Coordinator of DESIS Network – Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability from 2022 till 2025. She founded and led a research group on Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability (ID+ DESIS Lab) for eight years and directed the Design Factory Aveiro as its executive director and scientific coordinator from 2016 to 2022. Teresa is member of several editorial board, of scientific committees in national and international Design Conferences and jury of international design competitions. She teaches across Europe and Asia and has been the local coordinator of european projects for social innovation, circular economy and sustainability.

Teresa has been invited as a keynote speaker in national and international conferences and has organise several workshops worldwide. She has been supervising PhD and Master students within the topics of Design for Social Innovation, Design for Sustainability, Product Design and Service Design. Her work is characterized by a deep commitment to integrating design methodologies with interdisciplinary collaboration, aiming to create meaningful impact and drive positive change in communities worldwide. Through her extensive publications and participation in international conferences, Teresa Franqueira aims to influence the design landscape, inspiring both professionals and students alike.

Founder and Designer, Studio Anansi

Evan Jerry is Canadian-born designer and artist. In 2018 he established Studio ANANSI, a design practice that represents a reflection of modernity with a nod to the Afrocentric elements that have been missed or masked in contemporary design. The studio draws its name from Anansi, a prominent figure in West African and Caribbean folklore known for taking the form of a spider and revered as the god of storytelling and knowledge.

Evan's childhood exposure to Anansi's tales and his global adventures equipped him with a profound tool to interpret the world, gaining a unique perspective on culture and storytelling while furthering his curiosity to understand our connections. Motivated by these folklores – Evan endeavors to craft new narratives through sculptural and architectural objects. Studio ANANSI's innovative work has involved collaborations with esteemed brands like Collection Particulière and TRNK New York. Its projects have been showcased in internationally acclaimed publications such as Interior Design, Wallpaper*, Azure, Design Milk, Architectural Digest, and Sight Unseen. Furthermore, the studio has made significant appearances in global design exhibitions, including the prestigious London Design Festival.

Executive Board Member, Pan African Design Institute

Juliet Kavishe holds an M (Prof) in Interior Architecture and brings 18 years of cross-continental experience in design practice, education, and research. Her expertise spans high-end residential, commercial, and museum design, focusing on indigeneity, decolonising design, and African design methodologies. Juliet is an Executive Board Member of the PADI (Pan Afrikan Design Institute), where they strive to create a Design community specifically for Design professionals and academics focusing on African Design and African-focused Design education. Through policy and research, she addresses contemporary African issues. Recognized among South Africa's top 100 Design Voices in 2024, Kavishe was awarded the AMPS Critical Futures Award in 2025 for her paper on Decolonizing Design Perspectives.

Tina Kortmann is Associate Director and Senior Architect at UNStudio in Amsterdam and leads a team across the entities Amsterdam and Frankfurt. The team works on projects in Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands. In Germany these include FOUR Frankfurt, which has been under construction since 2017, various projects from interior to high-rise. Tina was born in Düsseldorf in 1978 and studied architecture at RWTH Aachen and Copenhagen. Before joining UNStudio Amsterdam in 2010, she worked in internationally renowned architectural firms in Copenhagen, Paris, Aachen and Tokyo.

Hope Liu, the General Manager of OPPO Industrial Design Center, also serves as the head of dual brands (OPPO, OnePlus). As a senior design director, he is responsible for planning the design and formulating design strategies and languages for all products of OPPO and OnePlus. He has received honors such as the Shenzhen Top 10 Outstanding Youngsters in the Design Industry and China Top 100 Outstanding Youngsters in the Design Industry. From 2021 to 2022, he led the team in redefining and establishing the design strategies for OPPO and OnePlus, encompassing product design, user experience design, packaging design, materials and craftsmanship, CMF design, and design strategies. He has extensive experience aimed at driving brand development and enhancing user experience.

Co-Founder and President, Service Design Network

Birgit Mager is co-founder and president of the International Service Design Network and editor-in-chief of Touchpoint, the international journal of service design. Since 1995, Birgit Mager has held the first European professorship for "Service Design" at the University of Applied Sciences in Cologne, Germany, and since then has continuously developed the field of Service Design in theory, methodology and practice. Her numerous lectures, publications and projects have strongly supported the implementation of a new understanding of the economic, ecological and social function of design in the field of services. In 2020 she received the Sir Misha Black Award for outstanding contributions to design education. Since 2024 she is a visiting professor and member of the advisory board at the Sapienza University of Rome in the PhD program Service Design and Public Sector.

Credits Foto: Jan Rothstein

Director of Product Design, Snøhetta

Marius Myking is a strategic designer and creative leader. In 2017, he joined Snøhetta to establish and lead its Product Design discipline. Since then, the studio has gained global recognition for shaping the future through diverse, impactful projects. With a background in carpentry and industrial design, and years of experience in both Oslo and New York, Marius combines hands-on expertise with a global outlook to guide teams in developing sustainable, forward-thinking products in line with Snøhetta’s ethos and ambitions.

Advisory Board, aed e.V. (Association for the Promotion of Architecture, Engineering & Design)

Silvia Olp is on the advisory board of the aed e.V. in Stuttgart, she was a founding member and for many years on the board, the last five years as chairwoman of the aed. She is the initiator of the aed neuland competition for young talent. As Silvia Olp Public Relations, she is active as a consultant for PR and marketing activities for the design-orientated industry as well as design agencies and architecture firms. She was Head of Communications at Phoenix Design and PR and Marketing Director at burkhardt leitner modular spaces for many years. She has also worked as a studio manager for well-known photographers, including Staud Studios.

Martin Pauli is Director of Global Circular Economy Services at Arup - an international consultancy and planning firm - where he develops circular economy-based corporate and product strategies for leading companies in the construction industry in Europe and internationally. He is on the Circular Building Committee of the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) and a regular keynote speaker and guest lecturer on innovation and sustainability in the built environment.

Creative Director, Mamba Studio

Design is the lens through which I understand life. As a Mexican designer based in Madrid, I’m passionate about the intersection of design, psychology, and storytelling. At Mamba, we specialize in branding and packaging design, crafting visual narratives that connect with human behavior through neuromarketing. Always curious, I’m committed to pushing the boundaries of design, enhancing creativity, and continually evolving in the field.

Leader, LIXIL GLOBAL DESIGN

Patrick Speck was born in Brazil and graduated in Industrial Design from PUCPR in 2000, followed by a Master’s degree in Product Design and Engineering from the same institution. Between 2000 and 2006 Patrick worked for Electrolux Home Products. In 2006 Patrick joined GROHE. Throughout the years, he held several senior positions in the design department, supporting the brand around the globe and leading projects from concept to production. In October 2018, Patrick was appointed VP of Design Transformation. Since January 2020, Patrick is Leader LIXIL Global Design EMENA, increasing his responsibility with regional design leadership for LIXIL’s Design Studios in Düsseldorf and London. He is based in London, and leading the GROHE and Cobra brands, assuring the brands remain well-defined, authentic and with a unique sense of purpose. In this function, he reports directly to Paul Flowers, Leader LIXIL Global Design, Executive Vice President and in a dotted line to Leader LIXIL EMENA. His list of achievements includes several Intellectual Property files (Brazil, Europe and the US) both for Electrolux and GROHE.

Mr. William Wu (Wu Jian) is VP Design at Haier Group, leading global design team covering multiple brands. He joined Haier in 2001 as industrial designer. During his career Mr. Wu has multidisciplinary practices span product design, brand communication, design strategy, graphics and design management. From 2006 he worked a long time in North America to develop local product series to accelerate local business. As the head of Haier innovation design center from 2010, he contributes to lead the design team to deliver world-class design service both to this appliance giant and other independent manufacturers in China. Mr. Wu developed a brand new user experience centered working flow and unique visual brand language to express global brand language and create inspired smart living experience for global consumers. All efforts greatly supported Haier to be No.1 major appliance manufacturer globally and one of the most famous brands from China.

Founder, Dongdao Creative Branding Group

Jianjun Xie earned his master’s degree from the China Central Academy of Fine Arts. In 1997, he founded Dongdao Design in Beijing and has headed the company ever since. Under his guidance, Dongdao has evolved to become a leading creative branding and development consultancy. Jianjun Xie is a member of numerous design associations, and has received many prestigious awards.